In December 2016, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) raised interest rates for the first time in a year, and then raised them again in March 2017. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen indicated that the Fed could raise interest rates even further later this year. But what do rate hikes mean for advisors, their clients and investment portfolios? When interest rates increase, bond prices decrease. And while many analysts expect equities to suffer when interest rates go up – which is what many had predicted for markets in 2016 – these more recent rate hikes have not taken the wind out of the U.S. stock market’s sails. Lately, it seems that when rates rise, the value of equities doesn’t take a hit. But there’s no telling how long this trend will last. (For more, see: Fed Increases Interest Rates at March Meeting.) It’s important to keep in mind that when the market suddenly increases or decreases due to the influence of political, civil, or economic forces, then a market correction will happen soon. Due to the high probability of this event occurring, the author encourages the investor to have a financial advisor to consult with to make sure that his or her investment strategy and portfolio is ready to handle this change. Although advisors can’t predict what is going to happen in the stock market and how it will react to future interest rate hikes, they can take measures to ensure their clients benefit from rising interest rates while taking all potential risks into account. In a simplified example, let’s say a client is a balanced investor which usually means a portfolio is a 60/40 mix of equities and fixed-income investments (such as bonds). In a declining interest rate environment, the asset allocation may be 60% fixed income and 40% equity to take advantage of rising bond prices. In a, rising interest rate environment, the allocation can flip to 60% equities and 40% fixed income to benefit from bullish equities. The client’s risk tolerance always remains intact and slight adjustments are made to take advantage of stock market movements. (For more, see: The 4 Most Important Effects of Rising Interest Rates.) A well-diversified portfolio can hold both domestic as well as foreign investments, but how do rising interest rates affect foreign exchange? If $1 USD equals $1.35 Canadian dollars, the U.S. dollar is stronger. This means it’s not a good time to exchange Canadian money into U.S. currency because Canadians will only receive $0.65 USD for every Canadian dollar exchanged. However, it would be a good time for Americans who want to invest in Canadian currency to take advantage of the foreign exchange while the dollar is strong. When investing in any foreign currency, it’s important to remember to buy low and sell high. This basic strategy doesn’t consider a continuous cash flow, so you must balance this strategy against your cash flow principles. Even the author doesn’t recommend trying to time the market to make a quick return, because what you’re doing is basically gambling.

For many, a six-figure salary is the endgame, the true sign that you’ve made it in life. But, among those who top lists like the Forbes 100, a six- or even seven-figure salary is pocket change, just another step toward true riches. If you’re raring to dial up your earnings and be among the world’s richest, you’ll need to emulate the habits and accomplishments of the wealthy. Here’s how you can get started. The seven steps are: start and commit to your business, make smart investments, invent a solution, pursue your passion, take action, collaborate, and adopt a billionaire mentality. On the Forbes list, most of the billionaires are business owners that scaled their business to make a global imprint. It’s important to take risks, but with a full commitment to your business model and philosophy. You must have a vision that will help as many people as possible for as many generations as possible. It’s important to make smart investments not only in assets but also in the greatest asset you have, yourself. Sometimes, the best inventions are not original but instead innovations or improvements on existing products. A prime example of innovation comes from billionaire businessman Sam Walton, who opened the first Walmart in 1962. What made Walmart an innovation was the idea that the business could expand enough to sell products to consumers at lower prices than other retailers, saving them money on basic necessities. This basic premise transformed the way America shopped, while making Walmart one of the biggest retailers in the world — and Walton one of the richest men. It’s important to pursue your passion, but it’s even more important to put that passion into action. I’ve talked to some aspiring business owners and they can’t seem to gain any traction in their business because they don’t have the necessary commitment to act on their passion. It’s important to collaborate, because essentially no man is an island. You’ll need a team to build a business, so why not have a co-founder? A co-founder who both compliments and challenges your points of view but ultimately has your vision at heart. Rich people have a rich mentality, according to Steve Siebold, author of “How Rich People Think.” He has interviewed over 1,200 of the world’s wealthiest people to uncover the secrets to becoming rich. “While the masses believe becoming wealthy is out of their control, rich people know that making money is really an inside job. It’s a cause and effect relationship,” he wrote on Business Insider. “Anyone can become wealthy. It has nothing to do with your education or where you come from. It’s not what you do that guarantees wealth, it’s what you are.” So, focus on making things and crafting solutions. Create new products, improve current products and help people. But most importantly, be resilient and keep pushing forward

Norway’s central bank governor sharpened his warning on rising spending of oil revenue as he drew up scenarios for a 50 percent loss of capital over the next 10 years for the world’s biggest sovereign wealth fund. Governor Oystein Olsen said that the continued rise in oil cash spending, which now accounts for about 20 percent of the budget and 8 percent of gross domestic product, must now be halted to protect the $900 billion fund, the world’s largest sovereign pool of cash. “With a high level of oil revenue spending, there’s a risk of a sharp reduction in the fund’s capital,” Olsen said in the traditional Annual Address in Oslo Thursday. “This could, for example, happen if a global recession triggers both a decline in oil revenue and low or negative returns on the fund’s capital.” This conservative government was forced to dip into this fund for the first-time to cover its budget and protect the economy amid plunging oil prices. The Norway central bank oversees the fund, and has been able to have outflows without selling assets, however there are worst case scenarios. For example, it sees a 1 percent chance of a 50 percent decline over 10 years if spending is kept at the current level of about 3 percent of the fund. If spending is raised to 4 percent that probability rises to about 5 percent. If the fund’s allocation to stocks is boosted to 75 percent from 60 percent, which is currently being discussed, the probabilities rise even further to about 2 percent and 6 percent, respectively. The government had come up with various strategies to replenish the fund such as increasing the stock portion in the fund. In the end, it’s a combination of monetary policy and fiscal spending which has saved Norway’s economy. “It must be recognized, however, that the longer-term challenges facing the Norwegian economy can’t be resolved by spending more oil revenue and keeping interest rates low,” he said in the speech, arguing the Norwegian economy needs more legs to stand on. My concern is the effect of our aging generations globally. As our baby boomers reach the retirement age, I believe there will be a shift in the stock markets, and this shift will affect pension plans, and a lot of the wealth funds globally. The question is how will these countries find ways to continue to increase their gross domestic product? How will the coming change from oil to electric affect established industries? Just as important, how will the changes in the next decade affect you?

The boundaries of social media are endless and the number of people you can reach through it is limitless. The impact social media has on our society can pose many disadvantages, but it presents many advantages for companies. Businesses can build an advantage over their competitors and reach a wider market than ever before by adopting creative ways to brand themselves. Traditional marketing tactics like direct mailing, and telemarketing have all gone downwards. With advancements like ad block technologies, the world’s simply gone numb to conventional strategies businesses used to market their brand. What’s a compelling way to win over your audience in today’s digital world? By creating unique and interesting content, of course. And what epitomizes unique and interesting content more than video? Video is undoubtedly the most effective form of visual content in regards to driving brand engagement. The world’s riding the wave of digital transformation so it’s necessary marketers do so as well. The author suggests five simple tips to integrate video into your social media strategy: create killer content, engage with everyone, live stream, partner with influencers, and move fast. When creating content, it’s important to ensure that it is relevant, that you’re knowledgeable, and credible. Another important factor is being able to inject humor and to keep it lighthearted. If your audience is for a specific target market, then adjust your content as necessary. Listening to your audience and replying is important in showing that you’re paying attention to your audience. Live streaming is an important tool to build your audience too, because it allows your audience to get a personal glimpse behind how you operate, and makes the audience feel a part of the process. Influencer marketing is soaring and this is the optimal time to hop on the bandwagon. Influencers are masters of their craft who have a loyal following, regardless of how big it is. A big segment of successful influencer marketing is achieved through video. Just go on YouTube, the holy land of influencers (and where influencer and brand partnering can easily go unnoticed) and you will see a sea of this marketing strategy. You can significantly increase reach by partnering with the right influencers and are likely to reach more authentic leads and potential customers than traditional marketing. Finally, topics and trends are constantly changing so it is important to stay relevant, however do not sacrifice your good quality content by trying to stay current. Video and social are the cool kids on the block in 2017 and beyond. Leverage your social strategy with the powers of video today. Video is a forceful tool in driving social engagement and interaction. Capitalize on these powerful tools to boost your brand’s value and ultimately your bottom-line. Note: This in-depth guide by MarketPro may help you start your in-house video production initiative for as low as $200. Download free. If you are going to build your digital brand, then it’s important to not try to do it alone. Find a mentor, and learn from the person. If you want to be wise then walk with wise people, and remember a companion with fools will suffer a lot of harm. I often encourage the members of my small group to consider creating a YouTube channel, or some form of social media to get their presence out into the world. If you’re already using social media as a consumer, then why not use it and be a producer. Even if you don’t make a monetary return on your investment, you as an individual have a lifetime of experiences which some one of this world may see as valuable. Your life is your legacy.
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